Is Tim Duncan #165 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 SP Authentic · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 143× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Tim Duncan #165 sells for $686 against $4.79 raw: a $681 spread, 143× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $4.79
- PSA 10
- $686
- PSA 9
- $24.00
- Gem premium
- 143×
- As of
- Jul 11, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — PSA 10 | $686 | +$656 | +$631 | +$531 |
| PSA 9 | $24.00 | −$5.79 | −$30.79 | −$131 |
| PSA 8 | $13.50 | −$16.29 | −$41.29 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $4.79 raw value − fee. Fee tiers are illustrative; plug your grader's current price into the calculator below.
Expected value — how often does it need to gem?
| Chance it gems | Expected sale | Expected net (standard fee) |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | $190 | +$135 |
| 50% | $355 | +$300 |
| 75% | $521 | +$466 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 5%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $892 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $686 | −$206 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $412 | −$480 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $412 | −$480 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $686 | $412 | $892 | $412 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $156 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $24.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $13.50 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $6.40 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1997 SP Authentic cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Tim Duncan #165 — FAQ
Is Tim Duncan #165 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tim Duncan #165 sells for $686 against $4.79 raw: a $681 spread, 143× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Tim Duncan #165 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tim Duncan #165 (Basketball Cards 1997 SP Authentic) sells for about $686 versus $4.79 for a raw near-mint copy — a 143× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tim Duncan #165?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $892, ahead of PSA 10 at $686. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tim Duncan #165 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
What gem rate makes grading Tim Duncan #165 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tim Duncan #165 breaks even when it gems about 5% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $24.00).
Is your basketball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
Check my card free